146 ADVENTURES IN THE WILDERNESS. 



for the girl, determined to visit Montreal, get dis- 

 charged by his superiors from the service, return 

 for his mistress, and, striking through the lakes 

 eastward, reach Albany, where he could embark for 

 France. He left in the early spring, with the un- 

 derstanding that he would meet her at this spot on 

 a certain night in June. For some reason, per- 

 haps because he could not get a release, perhaps 

 piety prevailed at last over love, or, more probable 

 still, because he was ambushed on his journey 

 by hostile Indians and killed, he never returned. 

 Night after night, as the story runs, Wisti would 

 take her canoe, paddle to this point, where, not 

 finding her lover, she would return dejected to her 

 father's camp. She had many lovers, of course. 

 Cliiefs from near and far, even from the big lakes, 

 came seeking her hand. She refused each and all. 

 In vain her father threatened, her relations urged, 

 her tribe insisted. To every suitor she returned 

 the same answer : " My heart is far away in the 

 North, and will not come back to me." A year 

 came and went. The snow for a second time melt- 

 ed from the mountains, and the ice deserted the 

 streams. Her lover had been sick, she said to her- 

 self, and could not keep his promise ; but now he 

 woidd surely come. Thus she kept her hope up 

 as she watched and waited. Night after night she 

 would visit this spot, only to be disappointed. The 

 burden was too heavy for her to bear. The light 



